Leopoldo Ruiz III is arrested Tuesday, June 12, 2012, after Officer Robert Torres (left) pulled him over for driving aggressively on Loop 410. Ruiz was placed under arrest after Torres found that he was wanted on five outstanding warrants for unpaid traffic fines.

Leopoldo Ruiz III is arrested Tuesday, June 12, 2012, after Officer Robert Torres (left) pulled him over for driving aggressively on Loop 410. Ruiz was placed under arrest after Torres found that he was wanted

San Antonio police traffic officer Robert Torres prints a speeding ticket Tuesday June 12, 2012 that he gave to a woman on Loop 410 who was going 80 miles per hour in a 65 m.p.h. zone. The ticket will cost the woman $196.10. Torres and other San Antonio police officers are taking part in the San Antonio TACT (Ticketing Aggressive Cars & Trucks) Project. less

San Antonio police traffic officer Robert Torres prints a speeding ticket Tuesday June 12, 2012 that he gave to a woman on Loop 410 who was going 80 miles per hour in a 65 m.p.h. zone. The ticket will cost the ... more

Photo: John Davenport, San Antonio Express-News

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Police Sgt. Michael Starnes stands near a Honda involved in an accident he witnessed on Interstate 10 in April that killed the driver. Police have stepped up enforcement against aggressive driving on highways, and an education campaign has begun.

Police Sgt. Michael Starnes stands near a Honda involved in an accident he witnessed on Interstate 10 in April that killed the driver. Police have stepped up enforcement against aggressive driving on highways,

Police Sgt. Michael Starnes speaks about a fatal accident that killed the driver of this Honda when it collided with a large truck on Interstate 10. Starnes and other officers and officials talked at a press conference Tuesday, June 12, 2012, in the parking lot of Methodist Texsan Hospital about the San Antonio TACT project that targets aggresive car and truck drivers. TACT stands for Ticketing Aggressive Cars & Trucks.

Police Sgt. Michael Starnes speaks about a fatal accident that killed the driver of this Honda when it collided with a large truck on Interstate 10. Starnes and other officers and officials talked at a press

Leopoldo Ruiz III was about to be late to his appointment at a methadone clinic, he told a San Antonio police officer Tuesday, explaining why he was speeding and cutting off traffic on Loop 410 just before noon.

Officer Robert Torres said Ruiz's blue SUV had caught his eye in the rearview mirror, where he saw it swerving around another vehicle. As the SUV passed Torres' unmarked silver Dodge Charger, he activated his lights and pulled Ruiz over.

“The way he cut off that vehicle ... he is definitely an aggressive driver,” said Torres, 29. “He could have easily caused an accident.”

The incident was witnessed by a San Antonio Express-News reporter and photographer who were invited for a close-up look at aggressive driving on San Antonio highways, especially around commercial vehicles.

“Aggressive driving is more dangerous around commercial motor vehicles,” Smith said. “An 18-wheeler takes a long time to stop — truck drivers can't slow down as fast as the little car that cuts them off can.”

Besides stepping up enforcement, an education campaign started Tuesday, including digital billboards that will warn drivers to “Leave more space for trucks.”

Officers also will hand out pamphlets to motorists on why driving aggressively around larger vehicles is risky.

About 90 percent of the commercial motor vehicle crashes that are fatal are caused by drivers who improperly changed lanes, were speeding or were otherwise driving aggressively, FMCSA Director Joel Hiatt said.

Since October, when enforcement was strengthened, officers working in the high-crash areas issued 2,295 speeding violations, 598 citations for failure to signal and 467 tickets for motorists following a vehicle too closely, Smith said.

“We do have an identified problem with aggressive driving,” Sgt. Michael Starnes said. “It's part of our culture. Everything is now-now-now. But people need to understand that the risks just aren't worth it.”

Although Ruiz, 31, wasn't near a commercial motor vehicle when he was stopped Tuesday, he was allegedly speeding — driving 84 mph in a 65-mph zone — and driving while his license was suspended, offenses that totaled $585.20 in fines. He received a warning for an improper lane change.

On top of that, he was arrested after Torres found that he was wanted on five outstanding warrants for unpaid traffic fines of $2,444.

At a news conference to kick off the education campaign, Starnes stood in front of a mangled red sedan. He had witnessed that vehicle crash while coming home from Fiesta in April.

First, he noticed the car speeding and passing vehicles on the shoulder of Interstate 10 near Medical Drive.

Then, he saw the driver, Mark Resendez, 39, lose control of the car, skidding across two lanes of traffic and crashing into a tractor-trailer. Starnes rushed to the motorist's side.

“Unfortunately, not only had the driver driven aggressively around a commercial motor vehicle, but he also didn't wear his seat belt,” Starnes said. “He was thrown to the passenger side and died.”